


Rare moments of ease

by SkekLa



Series: A thousand years have passed [6]
Category: The Dark Crystal (1982)
Genre: Gen, isn´t it nice to see skeksis relaxing sometimes?, just skeksis doing nothing, random talks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-18 22:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22434364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkekLa/pseuds/SkekLa
Summary: Just a small slice-of-life kind of story, where the Chamberlain and the Illustrator share some random thoughts and idle about.Nothing really relevant, just skeksis randomness and some character interaction.
Series: A thousand years have passed [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1518779
Kudos: 7





	Rare moments of ease

**Author's Note:**

> ***Please keep in mind that these fanfictions are meant to take place in an Alternate Universe where certain things might differ from canon. Albeit, this is heavily based off the classic Dark Crystal movie (1982) and some of the canon and characterisations might sound off to anyone who´s not watched the movie (given how certain things were retconned and/or changed by the recent Netflix series)  
> All the canon lore and recogniseable characterisations for canon characters within this fic are based off the classic movie and its associated 80´s book lore and/or Legends of the Dark Crystal (2007).  
> The rest of what´s seen at my fanworks is just personal headcanon. ***

Chamberlain SkekSil was lost in a strange and thougtful mood that day.

Redrawn within his own ponderings, he turned to the Illustrator- who was abstracted into creating a portrait for him, sitting in a small stool at the corner of his chamber. Keeping her eyes fixed into her work, skekLa recreated the Chamberlain´s frowning face with deft strokes of a coal strip, a sketchy image slowly coming together upon a yellowish piece of parchment.

-" Hmmmmm...Illustrator...do tell..do you think one of these days the Emperor will finally design me as his succesor?..."

The sudden question SkekSil had made took SkekLa by surprise. Not because of the question itself, but because her Fellow's voice had been loud and rasping enough to break the powdery silence of the room in a rather abrupt manner. That tone sold his anxiety to her- and her gaze moved briefly upwards to consider him.

-" Chamberlain, " She said, " ...What I believe is many things about you might remind the Emperor of himself...from your arrogant nature to your insatiable ambition...however..."-

-" Hmmm?...However?...However, what?..."-

-" However, you don´t have the millitary experience and the physical prowess the General does. Nor the fastuous influence and charisma of the Ritual Master...Also, the Emperor knows you are somehow too... soft, too prone to seek concilement or use blackmailing and schemes to get your ways, instead of earning domination over others through the arts of war which His Excellency seems to have grown so fond of..."-

The Chamberlain stiffened at these statements, his lips redrawn in an angered snarl.

-" Hmmmmm will you never learn to control your venomous tongue,you old hag?!"

-" What about you?!...Will you never consider the truth of what you are, you fat-bellied, pompous old schemer?!"-

The two skeksis stared in defiance at one another for a moment...only to erupt in cawing laughter at the next.

-"You are right, SkekLa...you are sadly right. By chance, there would be many things changing - to much Our Lord's displeasure, were I to sit upon that throne and wield that scepter...Hmmmmm-hmm."-

The Illustrator stared at skekSil intently.

The Chamberlain.

Her ally.

Her friend.

Her closest.

Nothing other than her company seemed to make him act so spontaneous and relaxed.

SkekLa knew it.

Now she acknowledged there was one thing she had never dared telling even him.

This could be the perfect moment to talk it over.  
Perhaps if this chance got missed, she wouldn't have another in long centuries to come.  
So she blurted it out, still cackling, so the words wouldn't sound as serious and heavy as they might be to SkekSil.

-" ...Such a pity, though, that only I can know and see this jovial, relaxed and likeable Chamberlain, so different from the one the entire court fears or hates after his machinations and scheming..."

SkekSil frowned again...this time in a darker manner.

-" Don´t be daft, Illustrator...you´re well aware that nobody can go about the Castle simply saying whatever comes into their mind!..."

-" I know, ´Sil, I know...nevertheless... I reckon if the rest of the Court would understand each other as much as we two understand one another, the Empire could become a true paradise for all skeksis. Things could turn better again...more like they were before, back then, when the Empire was still new..."-

There, she had said it.  
Nervous to what he could have to say about these un-skeksis thoughts from her, SkekLa shut her beak so tightly- expecting some form of scorning- that her own teeth bit into her coarse and leathery lower lip.

SkekSil's frown melted into a strange, ambiguous expression of unease.

-" Hmmmmm...let noone else come to know you think this way, SkekLa...for your own good."-

The Illustrator nodded with defeated agreement.

She knew what he meant to say.

As she also knew that if anyone had seen SkekSil right now, they would say her ally was scared of her former statement. She thought that, were there any whitness to the scene- they´d assume that slight tremor within the Chamberlain´s voice was fear. Fear brought by her strange ideas, which were against the Laws established by the Emperor...

...But she knew better.

She knew him too much, and knew that that there, was not fear.  
Even if caused by worry, the expression skekSil´s face had didn´t tell her he was worried because of her, but about her.

That there was affection. Primitive, torpid, but oddly sincere.

Without further words, SkekLa lowered her eyes and continued to trace over the parchment, curling the edges of her maw in an almost unperceptible smile.

**Author's Note:**

> ****Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, all Dark Crystal canon characters and events etc. are the property of their respective owners (Brian Froud, Jim Henson and everyone who worked in the making of the Dark Crystal). The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author (SkekLa) is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.****


End file.
